Willys
Willys is a male human NPC in the Om campaign Summary Willys is an aspiring adventurer who joined Wu Xen and Korsik "the Quick" on the latter's mission to save the Neidar Tribe from enslavement by a pack of gnolls. He later joined the Militia at Midway Inn to better learn how to fight. Background Willys was born to a farmer and his wife in New Gildorn near the town of Dunkirk. His mother died in childbirth and he was an only child. Willys' father blamed him for his wife's death and as a result he was distant and resentful. Willys tried to please his father by working as hard as possible on the farm and being as good a son as he could, but to no avail. By the time he was fourteen Willys began to contemplate leaving home. Call to Adventure One day while Willys was in Dunkirk he came upon the Thunnish warrior Korsik "the Quick" on the street. Korsik was looking for stout warriors to assist him in freeing his tribe from a pack of gnolls who had enslaved them. Willys, raised on tales of adventure, dreamed of such a grand quest but did not seriously consider such a destiny until he saw Korsik still on the street and seeking help two days later. Willys approached Korsik, who dismissed him out of hand because of his youth and inexperience. However Willys began to return day after day to request to join the quest. Eventually, out of frustration and lack of interest from anyone else, Korsik accepted and said the boy could join the mission once more warriors were recruited. Willys then began to check back nearly every day to find out if Korsik was ready to leave on his mission, but was told that so far there were no others who had signed up. At last, in mid Gatekeeper of 465, when Willys returned to ask again if it was time to leave, and Korsik finally answered in the affirmative. The Thun had found another volunteer, a monk named Wu Xen. Willys returned home to claim his father's old shortsword and leather jerkin and a few items he thought he'd need to travel. Travel to the Gnoll Den Wyllis, Korsik, and Wu traveled to the gnoll den together. On the way they were attacked by a group of bandits. Willys, never in a fight before, drew his blade but did not need to fight as Korsik and Wu defeated the bandits themselves in a display that amazed Willys. However the two came to conflict after the battle as Wu refused to let Korsik execute the survivors. Korsik fell into a rage and attacked Wu but the monk was able to subdue Korsik until he calmed down. Willys, stunned, merely watched the display but was amazed again by Wu's combat ability. Wu promised to overlook the outburst if Korsik promised not to attack him again. Ultimately the bandits were tied up and left to nature, though when the trio came across a Gildornian patrol, they directed them to arrest the bandits. Willys did his best to keep up with the swift pace Korsik and Wu set during the journey and did not flag or complain. He spent much of the journey talking to Wu, as he was amazed by the monk's travels. Wu told a few stories about his own adventures but spent a sizable amount of time regaling the boy with parables and legends of Ki-Thian culture. The Battle The trio arrived at the gnoll's den only to find that a caravan of Orleseans had arrived and appeared to be treating with the gnolls. Willys was the first to identify the Orlesean crest upon the caravan. Wu kidnapped Therin, one of the young Orlesean solders, when he went to relieve himself. Under interrogation, Therin explained that his lord, Monseigneur de Abelard, had sent them to procure slaves from the gnolls. The thought that his clan was to be sold as slaves infuriated Korsik. The trio established a plan to rescue the Neidir in spite of the circumstances. Willys would wear Therin's armor and clothing and pretend to be an Orlesean guard and pick a fight with the gnolls in order to get them and the Orleseans to attack one another. Korsik would eliminate or lead anyone who remained near the entrance away while Wu would sneak in and free the Neidir so they could arm themselves and slay any gnolls and Orleseans on the field. Clad in Therin's armor and armed with his spear, Willys approached the entrance to the gnoll's cave as though he would enter, in spite of the gnoll's orders to cease. This prompted one of the gnolls to shove Willys away, and the boy threw himself to the ground as though horribly injured. This prompted the Orleseans, unaware that Willys was not Therin, to attack. Willys then crawled away from the melee as the battle sparked around him. Korsik charged in, attacking Orlesean and gnoll alike and ran, luring away those who tarried near the entrance, when the battle began and allowing Wu to sneak in. Willys slipped away from the battle, but kept an eye on Korsik, who had led four gnolls and three Orlesans away and did battle with all of them. Korsik quickly slew two gnolls and an Orlesean, but Willys saw him suffer a wound from one of the surviving creatures. Willys hurled his purloined spear at the enemy. His shot was good and one of the gnolls was impaled and killed. The final gnoll sought to flee, charging towards Willys while the Orleseans continued to press Korsik. Willys managed to wound the gnoll, but it quickly bested the boy, mortally wounding him. Korsik, who had finished off the Orleseans but suffered a mortal wound of his own, engaged and slew the gnoll before it could finish Willys off, but soon collapsed from his own wounds. Korsik told Willys that he fought with the bravery of a Neidir born warrior, and the boy took that comfort and thought he would die. Thankfully at that moment Wu led the freed Neidir from the gnoll den and they swiftly finished off both the gnolls and the Orleseans. Wu, seeing that Willys was mortally wounded, ran to help he and Korsik. The monk had professed to have no healing magic of his own but prayed to Leelin to allow him to heal Willys and, to everyone's amazement, his hands began to glow and he was able to magically heal the boy. He was able to stabilize Korsik and the Neidir clan took the Orlesean wealth and caravan and departed with him. Training at Midway Inn Willys and Wu made their way east back towards New Gildorn, but on their way came up on a landed gnomish airship, the Fizzlefly, being attacked by gnolls. Wu and Willys engaged the gnolls and helped the gnomes fight the creatures off. By way of thanks the Fizzlefly's captain, Fubblebum, offered to fly them to Midway Inn once repairs were made, shaving a great deal of travel time from the journey. Willys was thrilled to have the opportunity to fly and the two accepted. Willys was mesmerized at the trip and in short order the two were in Midway Inn. Willys wished to continue to accompany Wu, however the Ki-Thian warned that he would be walking a road too dangerous for Willys. Wu did, however, arrange for Willys to join the Brighblades, the militia at Midway Inn, to continue to train his combat skills. Personality and Abilities Willys is a young but eager and hardworking boy. He desires to become a famous warrior and adventurer and viewed his journey with Wu and Korsik as a grand adventure, in spite of his near death. Willys is a novice fighter, but he appears to have good combat instincts, successfully slaying a gnoll with a thrown spear and wounding another that charged him. Category:Om Category:Characters Category:NPCs